


Second Star To The Right

by bazerella



Series: The Disney Collection [3]
Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Exy (All For The Game), Happy Ending, Light Angst, M/M, Peter Pan References, Soft Andrew Minyard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-19
Updated: 2020-09-19
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:01:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26544121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bazerella/pseuds/bazerella
Summary: The first time Neil had taken Andrew up into the sky, Andrew had closed his eyes the entire time. Heights were something he had never been a fan of. He still wasn’t a fan, but now there was something about Neil holding his hand and the promise of not letting him fall that made it easier.“Second star to the right,” Andrew said.Neil grinned, “And straight on til’ morning.”(Or, every night Andrew takes a trip to Neverland, but with his 18th birthday approaching he's unsure if he'll still be able to visit)
Relationships: Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Series: The Disney Collection [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2116980
Comments: 2
Kudos: 85





	Second Star To The Right

_ The second star to the right _

_ Shines in the night for you _

_ To tell you that the dreams you plan _

_ Really can come true _

_ The second star to the right _

_ Shines with a light that's rare _

_ And if it's Never Land you need _

_ It's light will lead you there _

_ Twinkle, twinkle little star _

_ So I'll know where you are _

_ Gleaming in the skies above _

_ Lead me to the land we dream of _

_ And when our journey is through _

_ Each time we say "Goodnight" _

_ We'll thank the little star that shines _

_ The second from the right _

* * *

Andrew waited until he was confident both Nicky and Aaron were fast asleep and wouldn’t wake up. He climbed slowly down his bunk. Aaron was lying on his back, mouth open, and his sheets thrown messily on top of him. On the other side of the room Nicky slept spooning a body pillow and facing the wall. 

As Andrew crept out of his shared room he heard a murmuring from the living room. When he got closer he realized Bee must’ve fallen asleep while she was working. He turned off the tv and put a blanket over his adoptive mother before slipping out the front door of their apartment. 

He headed down the hall to the staircase. He walked up four flights before he reached the roof access. The owners of the building stopped trying to fix the broken lock after the third time Andrew had busted it. He was grateful they gave up. 

Andrew looked around the small roof. He was alone, which was odd. It wasn’t often he arrived first. It seemed like tonight would be a night for surprises. 

“Hey.” 

Andrew spun toward the voice. It still irked him how he could never hear any footsteps or sounds from the boy now standing before him. He was in his usual get up; a dumb green beanie with a red feather that clashed horribly with his hair. 

“Peter.” Andrew addressed the boy. 

“How many times do I have to tell you? It’s Neil.” 

“The storybooks call you Peter.” This was a familiar argument between the two. Though it wasn’t exactly an argument. It was more that Andrew decided he would call Neil anything but his preferred name because sometimes he liked to be a little shit. Or maybe he just liked the cute frustrated face Neil made when he called him by the wrong name. Either way, Andrew wasn’t planning on stopping. 

“My name was Peter,” Neil explained for the upteenth time. “At one point. Now it’s Neil.” 

“Hmm.” 

“Shall we go?” Neil held out his hand. 

The first time Neil had taken Andrew up into the sky, Andrew had closed his eyes the entire time. Heights were something he had never been a fan of. He still wasn’t a fan, but now there was something about Neil holding his hand and the promise of not letting him fall that made it easier. 

“Second star to the right,” Andrew said. 

Neil grinned, “And straight on til’ morning.” 

Andrew would never get over the way his heart felt every time his feet started to lift off the ground. He knew that someday he should probably demand more of an explanation from Neil, but for now believing in magic was enough. 

It was easier to believe in magic now than it had been before. Before he had his brother, and his cousin, and his mother. Before he had Aaron, and Nicky, and Bee. Before he met Neil. If someone had told him five years ago that he would have a family and he would spend his nights flying across the sky with an unbelievable boy, Andrew probably would’ve reacted how he used to; violently. 

Now, believing in magic is what held him together. It was not always rainbows and sunshine with Aaron and Nicky but they were working on it. If Andrew could be lifted off the ground and pulled into the stars, then he could have a relationship with his brother and cousin, dammit. 

Neil’s grip was tight around his hand. Andrew was still scared of falling, but he thought perhaps it was a different kind of falling he was now fearing. 

The star was approaching and soon Andrew was traveling through what looked like a kaleidoscope. There were patterns of colors floating right next to him. He wanted to reach out and try to grab one, to take it home, to prove that he wasn’t hallucinating this part. 

Andrew knew Neil was real. But Andrew hadn’t shared his adventures with Neil with anyone else, and part of him knew that it was because he was afraid if he did, it would all cease to exist. It’s easy to believe in magic when it’s just him. It was easy to believe this was real when Neil had his hand in his and was gently lowering them to the ground, but back home, before it was nighttime, sometimes these adventures seemed more like a dream.

“Home sweet home,” Neil said when they landed. 

Andrew was torn. If Neil had found him before he was adopted, Andrew would’ve wished on every star that Neverland could become his new home. He would’ve left every foster home he previously had for without hesitation. 

It was different now. Now he had Aaron, and Nicky, and Bee. He didn’t want to leave them, he wanted to give his blood a chance. That didn’t stop him from leaving them every night. No, Andrew was selfish. He had never been able to want before and now he wanted both. He wanted a world where he could have Neil  _ and _ his family. He wanted Neverland  _ and  _ Columbia. 

“Where is everyone?” Andrew asked. 

Neil had brought them to the treehouse, which was where Neil lived amongst various others. They were called the Lost Boys and Girls. They were the unwanted outcasts of the world who were united in a land where they could stay forever. They all weren’t the same age. Andrew thought the oldest was probably about eighteen. Neil said that typically when you pass eighteen you can’t see Neverland anymore. Some on Neverland choose to age up until they turn eighteen while others opt to stay younger. There was one Lost Girl, Robin, who was about nine years old that Andrew was fond of. 

Neil shrugged. “I think Wymack was taking them on the ship.” 

Wymack was one of the only two adults on the island. Wymack and Abby, the other adult, served as sort of parental figures for everyone on Neverland. Andrew didn’t exactly understand the logistics of how they’re able to be adults but he assumed that even magical lands understood that it was unwise to leave an island completely at the hands of children.  _ Lord of The Flies _ and all that. 

The ship Neil was talking about once belonged to an evil pirate. The Lost Boys and Girls had seized the pirate ship and thrown its Captain overboard well before Andrew started visiting Neverland but it was Neil’s favorite story to tell so Andrew knew it by heart. 

“Wanna go to Mermaid Lagoon?” Neil asked. 

Andrew thought about it. There was one mermaid, Renee, that he quite liked. She had white hair and her tail was a pastel rainbow. Unfortunately, Renee was always with a loud mouthed blonde mermaid who had a hot pink tail named Allison. Andrew decided he didn’t feel much like talking to the others today. He wanted to talk to Neil, and just Neil. 

“Nah,” Andrew said. “Let’s just sit today.” 

“Sure.” Neil held out his hand and Andrew took it. Soon they were sitting next to each other on a branch that was high enough to make Andrew feel antsy about it. 

“I won’t let you fall,” Neil said. Neil stayed holding his hand and it made what he was about to say so much harder. 

“I have to tell you something,” Andrew admitted. 

“Your eighteenth birthday is next month.” 

Andrew stilled. “How did you know?” 

“It’s just one of those things,” Neil gestured with his free hand to himself. 

“Magic?” 

“Probably.” Andrew never knew how he felt about Neil not really knowing how magic worked either. Neil always just took it in stride. He could fly, he randomly knew Andrew’s birthday without ever being told. It was just one of those things. 

“What will happen when I turn?” Andrew asked. 

“I don’t know,” Neil admitted. 

Neil had asked Andrew if he wanted to stay once and only once. It was about a year after Andrew had been adopted with Aaron and Nicky. Andrew and Aaron had gotten into a fight. Nicky had looked on, helplessly, and asked why they just couldn’t get along. They were supposed to be a family. At the time, Andrew hadn’t felt like they were his family. He had felt like it was two against one and that neither Aaron nor Nicky would ever really accept him. 

Andrew had run off to the roof to be alone. Andrew had met Neil before so he hadn’t been opposed to Neil showing up and sitting next to him on the ledge. He was ready to be taken away to Neverland for the night but Neil hadn’t offered his hand. 

“You know,” Neil had said. “You can stay in Neverland if you want. You’d never have to come back here.” 

Home was an unfamiliar concept to Andrew. He had never thought that Aaron and Nicky could be his home, but in that moment, being offered to never see them again, he knew he would never want to be anywhere that they weren’t. He didn’t want to give up just yet. Every foster family he had had given up on him. Aaron and Nicky were a new beginning and he wanted them so badly. 

“No,” Andrew had said. 

Neil had just said ‘okay’ and that was that. He never asked again, and Andrew knew he wasn’t going to ask again now. 

“Will I be able to visit anymore?” Andrew asked. 

“I don’t know,” Neil said again. 

“Wymack and Abby are adults and they live here,” Andrew pointed out. 

Neil furrowed his brow. “They’re different...somehow. I’m not sure how it works but they can be adults. Everyone else stops at eighteen. Unless they want to stay younger.” 

“I--” Andrew still wasn’t comfortable with being vulnerable. But this was Neil so he pushed forward. “I don’t want to never see you again.” 

“You won’t stay.” Neil didn’t ask it as a question. He said it as nothing more than a cold, hard fact. 

“I won’t,” Andrew confirmed. “But can you? Can you stay with me?” 

Neil gave him a soft smile, not an answer. “Let’s take a lap around the island.” 

Andrew tightened his grip on Neil’s hand as Neil pulled him into the sky. They flew out of Hangman’s Tree and first went past Skull Rock. From way up in the sky Andrew spotted the familiar pirate ship. He could see Wymack pointing at something in the water while Dan, one of the Lost Girls, picked up some of the younger ones so that they could see. He could see Abby steering the ship with Matt by her side keeping her company, both listening very attentively as Robin told them some story that Andrew was sure to be a good one. 

Next they went over Mermaid Lagoon. Andrew saw a hot pink and rainbow tail racing through the water as one of the Lost Boys, Seth, watched on in amazement. Andrew knew that Renee had probably let Allison win that race. Seth had a thing for Allison but hadn’t yet noticed that the two mermaids only had eyes for each other. 

Neil flew them more inland where they went over forests of trees. They went over Crocodile Creek where Kevin, Jean, and Jeremy were doing something Andrew knew was probably stupidly athletic. Andrew liked to avoid this trio as much as possible when he was in Neverland. He had played one game with them, and was actually quite good at it. Kevin never let him hear the end of it and was always trying to involve Andrew in other outdoorsy adventures that Andrew just simply did not care for. 

Neil stopped them on the shore of Cannibal Cove. He let them down, gentle as always, and sat in the sand. Andrew joined him. The most annoying part about Neverland was that he could see himself there. He could see himself sitting on the rocks at the lagoon talking to Renee while Allison indulged Seth in his flirting but never let it go any further. He could see himself sitting on the pirate ship with Robin, ignoring Dan and Matt’s attempts to talk to him but secretly enjoying their company. He could even see himself occassionaly when he was fuck all bored, hanging out with the terror trio of Kevin, Jean, and Jeremy, playing some stupid game they just made up on the spot. 

He could see himself with Neil, every day. Flying across the sky and trading secrets on tall branches, never being afraid of falling because even if he did, Neil would catch him. 

Andrew wished it was easier. That he could take Aaron, Nicky, and Bee with him. That Neil could exist outside of Neverland and not just during the night on the roof. 

“Are we saying goodbye?” Andrew wanted to get it over with if they were. 

“Not goodbye. Goodnight” Neil slowly reached a hand out and when Andrew nodded, he placed it on the side of Andrew’s face. 

“I’m going to grow up,” Andrew said. He leaned into Neil’s touch. 

“No, you’re not. You’ll age, but you won’t grow up,” Neil reassured. 

Andrew closed his eyes. He put his own hand over Neil’s. “What will it take to make you stay? How do I get to keep you?” 

Neil smiled, “You were not meant for Neverland, Andrew. Someone like you wasn’t meant to be stuck here.” 

“You’re not stuck,” Andrew was confused. “You go back and forth.” 

“I do,” Neil nodded. “But this is where I have to stay.”

Neil leaned in first but Andrew closed the distance. It was the sort of kiss people wrote about. The sort of kiss that had fireworks and music playing in the background in movies. It was the sort of kiss Andrew dreamed about. 

When he pulled away, he kept his face close to Neil’s. He didn’t say anything but Neil understood. 

“It’ll be okay,” Neil promised. 

Andrew doesn’t remember flying back. But he does remember, moments before being back in his own bed, watching Neil’s figure get smaller and smaller into the sky. He remembers looking up at that second star and wishing for a way for him to have both. 

When Andrew woke up, it was past noon. He sludged his way into the kitchen where Nicky was sitting on the counter and Aaron was at the table furiously highlighting a textbook. 

“Oh, hey, sleepyhead! We left you some pancakes. They might be sort of cold now, though.” 

Andrew brushed Nicky off and ignored the pancakes. Instead he opened up the cabinet to look for some cereal but paused when in the corner of his eye he spotted a red feather on the ground. He rushed over and picked it up. He held it between his fingers as though it was something delicate. 

“Ew, Nicky, that better not be from one of your clubbing outfits,” Aaron grumbled. 

“Red isn’t my color,” Nicky snapped back. 

“Is any color really  _ your  _ color?” 

Andrew was stuck in a trance. It was hitting him that he had chosen to never go back to Neverland for a chance at becoming a real family with these two bickering morons he shared blood with. 

Andrew pondered the feather for the rest of the afternoon. He wondered if Neil would come visit him for the remainder of the days before his eighteenth birthday. He figured it wasn’t likely. They had said their goodbyes already and sealed it with a kiss. Andrew tried not to feel sort of disappointed that he hadn’t gotten the chance to say goodbye to anyone else. He hoped they wouldn’t hold it against him.

When night came around, Andrew was at a loss of what to do. Aaron and Nicky were up playing video games, and Bee had retired into her own bedroom early. Andrew was feeling antsy. He made an impulsive decision. 

He went into the living room and stood in front of the television. 

“What the hell, Andrew? You’re fucking up our game!” Aaron complained. 

“I want to show you both something.” 

Nicky and Aaron exchanged a look. It wasn’t as bad as it was in the beginning with the two against one but there were still moments where Andrew was reminded that Aaron and Nicky had a relationship well before they even met Andrew. Andrew hoped that tonight solidified the fact that it was now the three of them (and Bee) together. That they were a family. 

Andrew grabbed blankets for each of them and then took them to the roof. Aaron only muttered under his breath a little bit when he saw the ‘Do Not Enter’ sign on the roof access door. 

“Are you planning on throwing us off?” Aaron asked. 

“No,” Andrew said. “Well, not Nicky at least. I’m still debating you.” 

Aaron rolled his eyes but sat down at the edge with Andrew and Nicky. They were all wrapped in blankets and for once Andrew was allowed to be the one who started the conversation. 

“You might not believe me,” Andrew started. “But this is important to me, and I wanted to share this with the two of you.” 

Aaron and Nicky were smart enough to realize the implications of what Andrew was saying. Andrew was trusting them. 

Andrew pointed his finger out to the stars. “It begins with the second star to the right…” 

Andrew told them everything. From the mermaids to the pirate ship to the Lost Ones. 

“Neverland is real!?” Nicky was filled with childlike wonder. Andrew had been worried since Nicky was over eighteen that he wouldn’t get it. Andrew was starting to realize that maybe there was more truth in a few of Neil’s parting words than they both realized. People aged, yes, but age did not always mean growing up. It didn’t mean not believing. 

“Okay wait,” Aaron said, ever the realist. “How do we know you’re just not making this up?” 

“You don’t,” Andrew responded. “I wouldn’t lie, though. Not to either of you.” 

Aaron was still skeptical but pushed Andrew to continue. Andrew told them about Neil and how he refused to use the name ‘Peter Pan’. He told them about his last day on Neverland. 

“Wait, so you’re just never going to see him again?” Nicky was in disbelief. 

Andrew shrugged. “I don’t know if I can.” 

“That’s bullshit,” Nicky said. “You believe, don't you? That should be enough.” 

“It’s okay,” Andrew said. “I have you two now.” 

Nicky looked like he was going to cry but Aaron just frowned. 

“It doesn’t seem fair,” Aaron said. “You should be able to have both.” 

“I wished for both,” Andrew admitted. 

“I’ll wish for you too,” Aaron promised. 

The next month passed without any sight of Neil and no trips to Neverland. Andrew went out the roof every day just in case. 

Andrew and Aaron turned eighteen but Andrew didn’t feel any different. He was still waiting for his Peter Pan to take him away. He still believed in Neverland. He still believed in Neil. 

The night of his birthday, he brought a box of cupcakes and a bottle of whiskey up to the roof. Aaron and Nicky were with him. 

“You know what?” Andrew was slightly tipsy. “Fuck Neverland. I believed, and I believed, and if they don’t want me to then fine. Whatever. Fine.” 

“You don’t mean that,” Aaron said. 

“No,” Andrew sighed. “I don’t. I’m eighteen and I believe. Shouldn’t that mean something?” 

“It does.” 

Andrew spun around so fast he barely got to glance at Aaron and Nicky’s wide eyed expressions. 

“I told you it wasn’t a goodbye.” Neil landed on the edge of the roof with grace. He walked toward Andrew. “Happy birthday, Andrew.” 

Andrew was at a loss for words but Aaron wasn’t. “It’s my birthday too.” 

“Right, of course.” Neil grinned. “Happy birthday, Aaron.” 

Andrew sobered up very quickly at the sound of his brother’s name coming out of Neil’s mouth. “How are you here?” 

“Some people take the belief with them even when they pass eighteen,” Neil explained. “I wasn’t sure if you were going to.” 

“Why?” Andrew asked. All he had ever done was believe. 

“I didn’t want to get my hopes up,” Neil admitted. 

Andrew just stared at Neil. At his ridiculous beanie with the feather. 

“Are we going to Neverland!?” Nicky interrupted, full of excitement. 

“If you want.” Neil addressed Andrew, “Do you want to?” 

“We can all go?” Andrew wasn’t sure how Neil was going to pull three grown boys up into the sky even if he and Aaron were on the shorter side. 

“I brought backup,” Neil waved his hand and suddenly a very small girl with wings appeared. “This is Katelyn. She’s a fairy.” 

“Holy shit.” It was the most wide-eyed and wondrous Andrew had ever seen his twin. 

“Fairies have pixie dust. It can make you fly.” 

Andrew was exasperated, “And you didn’t think to use pixie dust on me all this time?” 

“I liked our system better,” Neil smirked. 

Katelyn flew around Aaron and Nicky dropping bombs of pixie dust all over their heads. 

“Three components of flying,” Neil instructed. “Faith, trust, and pixie dust!” 

“It’s all real!” Nicky was inching toward too excited for Andrew’s liking. 

“Let me guess,” Aaron deadpanned, “We have to think of wonderful things?” 

“Yes,” Neil replied, just as serious. 

The fairy giggled and hit Aaron with an extra bomb of pixie dust, “Looks like you’ll need more than I thought.” 

Katelyn gave Andrew some pixie dust of his own but Andrew had no intention of flying up without his hand attached to Neil’s. 

Nicky and Aaron were already in the sky following Katelyn when Andrew stepped onto the ledge. Neil was floating above him. 

“Ready?” 

Andrew held onto Neil’s hand even though he already felt his feet leaving the ground without Neil’s usual pull. 

Andrew looked up at the stars in the sky and his eyes fell on the most important one. In what world did Andrew get to have both? He thought that he would always be unsatisfied. That if he chose Nicky and Aaron part of him would always dream about the boy who never grew up. That if he chose Neverland part of him would feel like he was no better than the foster families that abandoned him. 

Right now, Andrew felt full. He was heading toward the stars with his whole family, and when he arrived in Neverland, a whole other family would be waiting for him. Believing was never something Andrew thought he could have. He had never been so okay with being proven wrong. 

“Second star to the right,” Neil called out to him. 

“And straight on til’ morning,” Andrew finished. 

A boy who takes your hand and flies you to a world that’s only supposed to exist in a storybook? Maybe a bit unbelievable. 

Andrew Minyard, happy? Absolutely believable. 

**Author's Note:**

> hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> also this is my third fic that was disney inspired for Andrew + Neil! should i make it into a series? 
> 
> you can find me on tumblr and twitter @ bazerella. <3


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